This is a record of my journey as a Muslim. I used to be Catholic and belonged to a missionary organisation. After my conversion, I sat on the board of a Muslim converts' organisation and specialised in da'wah programmes, convert management, interfaith issues and apostasy cases. I am an initiate of a Sufi order. As such, the articles and writings tend to cover these areas.
All the Arabic and graphics could not have been done without the help of my wife, Zafirah.

Sunday, 12 September 2010

The Etiquette for Supplications

Iبِسۡمِ ٱللهِ
ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is an extract from Shaykh
Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahid an-Nazhifi’s (r.a.)
Maba’di al-Ishraq wa al-Isw’ad fi ma li
at-Tijani min al-Idzkar wa al-Awrad, “Foundations of
Illumination & Gratification of the Tijani Remembrances and Litanies.” There are ten rules of etiquette for,
supplications, ud’iyyah. They are given below.

The supplicant must set aside time for his ud’iyyah. This is especially pertinent during the noble
times, such as the Day of ‘Arafah, the day of Juma’ah, Ramadhan, and the time
of swahur.

The supplicant must take advantage of the
opportunity afforded by the noble times, such as the time of the meeting of the
armies in the way of Allah (s.w.t.),
at the time of rainfall and at the time of standing for swalah. It is related that
the Gates of Heaven are Opened during these occurrences. And Mujahid (r.a.) said, “Verily prayer was placed during the best times. So, see to it that you supplicate after the
prayers.” Also, during the call to
prayer in accordance with the hadits that
states supplication between the adzan
and the iqamah are not rejected. Also throughout the duration of fasts because
of the hadits that states the
supplications of those who fast are not rejected. Additionally, during prostration in accordance
with the hadits that states the Closest
that a slave is to his Lord is when he is prostrating. So we must make plenty of supplication during
it.

The supplicant must face the qiblah, raising the hands so that he can
see the white palms. According to a hadits, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) used to raise his hands until he
could see his white palms. And it is
confirmed to rub one's face with them both after supplication is in accordance
without the hadits. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) used to, when supplicating, join his hands and place the
palms of them o his face and run them down his face upon completion. The supplicant should not raise his gaze to
the sky according to the hadits where
the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Let the
people leave off raising their gazes to the sky, or may Allah Snatch away their
sight.”

The supplicant should moderate his voice during
supplication according to the hadits where
the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Humble
yourselves. Verily you are not calling
upon a deaf, nor one unable to speak, nor one who is blind. You are calling upon One Who Hears, One Who Sees.”

The supplicant should abandon a melodious tone during supplication
for the state of the one who supplicates should be privacy and humility and
showing off is contrary to that.

Supplications should be in private, with
humility, hope and fear. He, the
Exalted, has Said:

… These (three) were ever
quick in emulation in good works: they used to call on Us with love and
reverence, and humble themselves before Us. (Surah al-Anbiya’:90)

Call on your Lord with
humility and in private: for Allah loveth not those who trespass beyond bounds.
(Surah al-A’araf:55)

The supplicant should persist in supplication
and be certain in its being answered, and that his hope in it be sincere,
according to the hadits, “Let not one
of you, when he supplicates say, ‘O Allah! Forgive me, if You so will. O Allah! Have Mercy on me, if You so will.’ Let him be firm in his demands. For verily, He will not cheat Him, Exalted is
He.’”

The supplicant should persist in his
supplication and that he repeat it three times, in accordance with the hadits, “He”, referring to the Prophet (s.a.w.), “used to, when he supplicated,
supplicate three times. And when he
asked, he asked three times.” And it is
important that one not think that the answer is coming slow, in accordance with
the hadits, “Accepted from one of you
is that which he does not hurry and say, ‘I supplicated and it was not Answered.’"

The supplicant should open the supplication by
remembering Allah (s.w.t.). So, he should not open with his demands, since
it has been related that the Prophet (s.a.w.)
used to open his supplication with, “Subhana
Rabbi al-‘Ali al-‘Ala al-Wahhab.” And likewise he should open his supplication
by sending blessings on the Prophet (s.a.w.)
and close by it in accordance with the hadits,
“When you ask Allah (s.w.t.) for a
need, then begin by sending blessings on the Prophet (s.a.w.). For verily Allah is
more Generous than that He should be asked for two needs and that He should Grant
one of them and reject the other.”

Supplication is the most important for
acceptance. It is repentance, turning
away from sin, and turning to Allah (s.w.t.)
with one's whole self. That is because
Allah (s.w.t.) does not accept the
supplication of the negligent heart.

O Allah! Our Generous Lord! Wake us from habitual negligence and Accept us
by Your Sheer Bounty and Grace, by rank of the one who said, “Seek a means
through my rank. For verily my rank with
Allah is Great,” and by the rank of his hidden secret, Abi al-‘Abbas at-Tijani (q.s.), the cave of the fearful and the
offender. And Allah the Exalted Knows Best
and is More Wise.